does anyone know any good stock air cleaner mods?

What is your goal?

8) Add a K&N filter.

PaPa John

Put the lid on upside down. Jon

how would putting the lid upside down work?

8) It leaves a gap around the air cleaner top so it get a less restricted air flow. Guys started doing that in the late 60's or early 70's. My Grandpa used to do it.

PaPa John

Hate to disagree with my good buddy Papa John about why a upside down air cleaner lid works. The upside down lid confuses the carburetor and so it ends up sending a richer mixture to the engine. And of course you can confuse the carburetor even more by installing it upside down.

8) Never said it worked! He asked how that would help and I told him the the common reasoning that the ones who do it use. In another post on the subject I stated that I never bought into the idea. He also didn't specify if it was computer controlled or not, so it's not such a cut and dried solution. :)

PaPa John

Another disadvantage of just flipping the hat on the stock air cleaner setup is that on allot of models the warm air valve that promotes engine warmup is controlled by the inlet air temp sensor that usually resides in the base of the air cleaner. Flipping the hat will cause the sensor to read cool, slowing engine warmup.

2nd problem is if the carb relies on the sensor's inputs to adjust air/fuel mixture. If the sensor reads cool, the carb will enrichen to adjust for it, lessening your MPG.

Finally, once the engine's hot like in the summertime, you're actually getting less air into the carb because the underhood air is warmer than outside air.

If your system isn't stock, then none of these arguments apply.

Hey PaPa John, I didn't mean to pull your chain as I was just foolin' around. As you well know that filter lid trick goes way way back. As to whether or not it is effective? I remember reading in one of those Hot Rod mag articles "101 Ways to Make Horsepower For Free" saying that the trick was good for 2 or 3 horses; of course if you added up the "" 101 Ways" your engine would have over 1000hp...for free.

ok I'll flip my lid and see what happens

8) I did'nt have a problem with that, I just did'nt make what I was saying quite as clear as I should have. :oops: I was just making that adjustment.

8) Hey 350/350 With the cold weather it might make things worse instead of better! :(

PaPa John

Another disadvantage of just flipping the hat on the stock air cleaner setup is that on allot of models the warm air valve that promotes engine warmup is controlled by the inlet air temp sensor that usually resides in the base of the air cleaner. Flipping the hat will cause the sensor to read cool, slowing engine warmup.

2nd problem is if the carb relies on the sensor's inputs to adjust air/fuel mixture. If the sensor reads cool, the carb will enrichen to adjust for it, lessening your MPG.

Finally, once the engine's hot like in the summertime, you're actually getting less air into the carb because the underhood air is warmer than outside air.

If your system isn't stock, then none of these arguments apply.

You make it sound like an electrical sensor, its just a spring hooked to an oval of flimsy metal. Also that "sensor" does diddly squat with carb mixture. Last thing, the tube doesn't reach far enough to bring in outside air. Only thing I agree with is that flipping it will slow warm up, but simply because the engine would be breathing colder air.

8) Hey 350/350 With the cold weather it might make things worse instead of better!What cold weather. He's in California :)

Seriously, this doesn't significantly help increase airflow except at high RPMs, but it does let out more noise, so you'll THINK it's faster, when it isn't. The right solution for improved airflow while keeping the stock look is to go to a low-restriction filter element.

Since you're in California, you may have to pass a visual inspection (year of vahicle unspecified). Switching to an open air cleaner would include dropping some of the emmisions equipment, which won't pass the visual.

It leaves a gap around the air cleaner top so it get a less restricted air flow. Guys started doing that in the late 60's or early 70's. My Grandpa used to do it.
LOL so did my dad, he got mad at me for doin it when he wasnt lookin, dont know why though :?

A better modification would be cold air ducting (scanvenged from an SS Monte or aftermarket ducted air cleaner) with a least restrictive air filter like a K&N. A better but more expensive mod would be a cowl induction hood (Goodmark) with the correct air cleaner setup to seal it to the hood such as used in the 70-72 SS models. Flipping the lid only allows more hot air from the engine compartment to enter the carb and creates more (IMO annoying) noise, it also does throw the ECM off and prevents it from making adjustments to the carb correctly, although this is only slightly. I flipped the lid on mine when I first bought my Elky...drove it around the block, then flipped it back. I prefer sllent but deadly over noisey and inefficient.